Print edition for August 30, 2001

Prosecutors: Charges won't be leveled in drive-by slaying: Keith Paul; Four men accused of killing a North Las Vegas woman standing outside at her sister's wake will be released from jail as early as today after prosecutors decided there isn't enough evidence to file charges in the case.

PCL box: Las Vegas-Tacoma: DP--Las Vegas 2. LOB--Las Vegas 7, Tacoma 5. 2B--Post (12), Branson (16), Vasquez 2 (28), Alexander (42). HR--Buhner (3). SB--Clark (12).

Management contract for Indian casino extended: Harrah's has managed the Harrah's Prairie Band Casino, located 17 miles north of Topeka, Kan., since its opening in January 1998. That contract was set to expire in January 2003; this extension, signed with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, extends that management agreement to January 2008. The extended agreement must be approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission.

Rebels' future looking solid: Steve Guiremand; A year ago, Larry Croom and Deon Burnett were starting running backs for Pac-10 Conference football teams.

Big Las Vegas engineering firm sold: Tony Franceschini, president and chief executive officer of Stantec Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, said his company's acquisition of the Pentacore Family of Companies would close by the end of October.

FBI to question witnesses of inmate's death: Keith Paul; Local FBI agents have been directed to interview eyewitnesses to the deadly struggle in the Clark County jail between corrections officers and a Frenchman.

Slaying victim had history of scams: Steve Kanigher and Jeff German; A Las Vegas man shot to death in front of his home Friday attended a bankruptcy hearing two days earlier in which he was accused of withholding financial records from creditors who claimed he owed $6.38 million.

State officials get an eyeful of problems with facilities: Jeffrey Libby; They came. They saw. They complained.

County weighs ethics policies: Adrienne Packer; Clark County administrators are again looking at their ethics policies in the wake of a recent controversy in which commissioners approved a zone change that benefited District Attorney Stewart Bell.

LV firms raise issues to U.S. SBA: Kevin Ferguson; Las Vegas-area small business owners Wednesday vented to a federal official about various business concerns, ranging from difficulties in getting their tortillas on store shelves to federal agencies bundling contracts and making it difficult for small businesses to get certain projects.

Eldorado gets nod over Cheyenne in season opener: Spencer Patterson; After flirting with an elusive .800 winning percentage in 1999, last year proved to be quite a bit tougher (.712), no small thanks to the unexpected success of second-year schools Desert Pines and Foothill. As it is ever year, week one will be tough, as I struggle to separate the contenders from the pretenders. As always, the Sun's weekly picks are provided strictly for entertainment purposes. And away we go...

Former youth facility workers face charges: Kim Smith; The arrest of two former staff members on sex-related charges Wednesday may be only the beginning of problems for the Summit View Youth Correctional Facility, the privately run prison for the state's worst juvenile offenders.

Guinn plans fight to halt public hearing on Yucca: Gov. Kenny Guinn says he plans to go to court today or Friday to stop a public hearing on Yucca Mountain unless the Energy Department agrees to provide the public with a reasonable opportunity to comment on the project.

Sun Statewide Prep Football Top 10 Poll: Sun Statewide Prep Football Top 10 Poll

Drug, alcohol use prevalent at youth correctional facility: Kim Smith; Two Summit View Youth Correctional Facility employees lost their jobs within a one-week period earlier this year after they were linked to incidents in which drugs were brought into the facility.

Nevada workers' comp rates stable: David Strow; California's attempt to deregulate the workers' compensation insurance market has left that state on the verge of massive hikes in insurance premiums.

Fair Housing violations alleged: Nevada Fair Housing Center, a watchdog for discriminatory housing practices, former tenant Ettilio Verso, a wheelchair user, and his wife, Frances, sued Green Valley Country Club Partnership of Scottsdale, Ariz., the owner of the 204-unit Green Valley Country Club Apartments at 1770 North Green Valley Parkway in Henderson.

Antitrust probe stalls IGT, Anchor merger: David Strow; For the second time this year, a major gaming industry merger is being held up by a federal antitrust investigation.

Rural protection proposed for Red Rock area: Proposed new design standards for the southern entrance to the Rock Rock National Conservation Area got a boost from a Clark County advisory panel Wednesday.

News briefs for August 30, 2001: The Clark County Health District reported unhealthful dust levels for sensitive residents in Green Valley today.

Fight schedule: Friday

Crew base study confirmed: Greg Crum, who told a meeting of Las Vegas Southwest employees several days ago that Las Vegas is one of the cities being studied, said today the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association is conducting the study and works with the company to determine the best locations for crew bases.

Cool hand Luke: Spencer Patterson; Take one look at Luke Doty's muscular 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame and it's obvious the Durango senior spends most of his free time in the weight room.

Industrial site may house neighborhood: Adrienne Packer; Apex Industrial Park Inc. developers want to build a residential neighborhood in an area created specifically to keep potentially hazardous industries away from homes.

Gorman's loss is the Blazers' gain in division: Gorman's loss is the Blazers' gain in division

Chairman to be named in next few weeks: The state's top gaming regulatory position was vacated Aug. 1 by Reno attorney Brian Sandoval, who is considering a run for attorney general in 2002.

Las Vegas firm in pact for California Indian casino: David Strow; A Las Vegas casino consulting company, headed by the daughter of a Las Vegas gaming legend, has signed a pact to develop an Indian casino 23 miles southeast of Palm Springs, Calif.

PurchasePro stock woes hurting sales effort, says CEO: Kevin Ferguson; PurchasePro's low stock price is hurting the Las Vegas company's software sales, but the firm's chief executive is confident that the company will be generating positive cash flow by the end of the year.

New schools rushed for today's opening: Terry Webster; The first day of school was due to start in less than 40 minutes, but construction crews this morning were still carrying equipment through hallways and nailing down carpet at Lucille S. Rogers Elementary School in southwest Las Vegas.

Casino sued for Fremont Street assessments: Fremont Street Experience LLC, which maintains the lightshow-themed attraction that's built to bring gamblers, tourists and visitors to the downtown Las Vegas casino district, sued Binion's in Clark County District Court on Wednesday.

Casino money will be used to raze New Jersey eyesores: John Curran; EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- They line the road into Atlantic City, offering shabby $30-a-night accommodations for low-rolling gamblers and down-on-their-luck transients.

Loss of dean won't stop medical center: By Emily Richmond; Dr. Robert Miller's resignation won't derail plans to build an academic medical center as part of a 61-acre development in downtown Las Vegas, supporters of the proposal said.

State saves a bundle with new bond rating: CARSON CITY -- The decision this week by Fitch Investors Service to increase Nevada's bond rating a half-grade has already saved the state's taxpayers up to $500,000.

Ruling criticizes EPA's handling of air quality: A persistent critic of Clark County's air-pollution control efforts has won a partial victory in a federal appeals court.

Prep football schedules: Sunset Region: Southwest Division: All games at 7 p.m.

School district to take over insurance program: Terry Webster; An arbitration ruling Wednesday that replaces the health insurance provider for the Clark County School District's support employees will leave those with unpaid bills fighting to get them covered, according to a top school district administrator.

Obituaries for August 30, 2001: Frank H. Alsup, 72, of Las Vegas died Friday in Modesto, Calif. He was born July 13, 1929, in Pittsburgh. A resident for 42 years, he was a pipefitter in the construction industry and a member of Pipefitters Local 525.

Las Vegas area fishing report: The good and bad news for anglers is that there appears to be an abundance of threadfin shad throughout the lake. This bodes well for the future because it means there will be adequate forage for game fish in the coming months. Unfortunately, stripers and other game fish can be more difficult to catch because of the large amount of forage that is available.

Life, racing looking up for Al Unser Jr.: Mike Harris; The black cloud that has followed Al Unser Jr. around since 1995 is finally lifting.

Felony drug charge sours UNLV on ex-Cheyenne star: Steve Guiremand; Former Cheyenne High and University of Tennessee football star Lynn McGruder won't be playing for UNLV after all.

Letter: Nevada should promote its own to top positions: In-house promotions give employees something to work for. All of these plum jobs should go to Nevada residents, and that includes the superintendent of schools, president of UNLV and the coaches.

Where I Stand -- Jackie Crawford: Change in philosophy: NEVADA'S STATE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM has received considerable attention lately, beginning with the governor's appointment of new management last year, followed by a legislative change this year, from a prisons system to a department of corrections.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Muldowney wishes she could be in series full time: Shirley Muldowney is returning to the NHRA this weekend for the 47th annual U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, but the legendary drag racer wishes she could run with the big boys on a more regular basis.

NASCAR opening new information highway: Mike Harris; The number even made Mauricio Gugelmin gulp. The CART driver's engineer had just informed him the impact from his crash at Chicago Motor Speedway had produced 123 G's in 0.03 seconds.

Furniture mart developer wins tax-rebate support: Mathis Winkler; The city's advisory body on redevelopment issues Wednesday gave cautious support to a tax proposal by developers of a planned $1 billion furniture mart.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Del Mar: 1st Race -- Recklesswarrant -- Draws good spot for mile opener, Pincay atop Spawr trainee, connections always dangerous. Accell -- Draws alongside top pick, Berrio/Avila combo, another jockey-trainer team that is also always dangerous. Value Play -- Boussac Lake

Schumi on verge of history: Raf Casert; SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium - Michael Schumacher returns to his Formula One roots this weekend to try to become the sport's most successful driver.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Pushing back season could benefit all: Based on the handful of games that were played last weekend, some coach, player, booster, fan or Beano Cook will be quoted following tonight's UNLV-Arkansas game saying it was just too early to start playing college football for keeps.

Auto racing schedules, winners and points standings: Feb. 18 - Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Michael Waltrip)

Letter: Social Security is for the people: They covet it because it is the last real chunk of money in the world, and having blown their last wad, they now want more action. I do not want to invest in the stock market. The corporate community in the United States considers its labor force to be expendable, and that does not inspire trust in me.

New ethics laws throw Mack proceedings into confusion: Diana Sahagun; New ethics laws continue to perplex the city's Ethics Review Board, as demonstrated Wednesday when all but one portion of a meeting was halted, unnecessarily as it turned out.

Contractors' penalties for wage violations toughened: CARSON CITY -- Contractors who cheat workers by failing to pay the prevailing wage on government construction contracts are going to get hit with stiffer penalties.

Western High, UNLV grad cited for meritorious service: Dick Benoit; Army Maj. Christopher Wicker, a class of 1978 Western High School graduate, has been decorated with the Army Meritorious Service Medal.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Labor Day weekend is packed with stars: Joe Delaney; Labor Day weekend is really the end of the summer vacation season ... Youngsters are already back in school at all grade levels; be even more careful when driving, especially in school zones ... The weekend's major event for more than three decades has been the "Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon," carried locally on KLAS Channel 8, from early Sunday evening to late Monday afternoon.

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 3:30 p.m.

Razorbacks top Rebels in defensive battle: Harry King; LITTLE ROCK - Ryan Sorahan completed two fourth-down passes and then hooked up with Richard Smith on a 23-yard play that set up Cedric Cobbs' touchdown as Arkansas slipped by Nevada-Las Vegas 14-10 Thursday night.

Editorial: New school should receive thumbs up: Neighborhood residents, who live close to where the school would be built, said that they don't want the traffic and all the students that a high school would bring with it. But the school district notes that there isn't any other land in the vicinity that can accommodate the high school that has been in the plans for almost 20 years.

Wednesday's prep results: GIRLS GOLF

Deal on wheels: Vehicle owners earning income, glances with decorated rides: By Jerry Fink; Charles Oswald says that's one of many reactions he has had since encasing his 2000 Ford Explorer in the logos of the popular pancake restaurant four months ago.

Former UNLV basketball player Houston dies at 50: Toby Houston learned early on that there was life after UNLV basketball -- a good life as a longtime local craps dealer, a successful businessman and a revered mentor to troubled Las Vegas kids.

State controller advised to document travel expenses: CARSON CITY -- Travel on the state's dime must be for state business, says a letter sent by legislative leaders to Controller Kathy Augustine.

Editorial: Don't leave Vegas high and dry: After seven days of hearings, the state engineer took the matter under advisement. His decision, expected in a few months, will be significant. He will be deciding whether a precious Nevada water resource should be used to help create a new city in the middle of nowhere when the rapidly expanding Las Vegas metropolitan area is parched for water.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: New Nevada Power motto: 'Charge!': Ruthe Deskin; Nevada Power Company has taken out ads in local newspapers explaining how it is making our power bills easier to read.

Childress adjusts to life after Earnhardt: Jenna Fryer; DARLINGTON, S.C. - It took Richard Childress a long time to stop looking for a black No. 3 on the track. For him, races just didn't look the same without Dale Earnhardt.

Top court rescinds criticism of judge: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Wednesday retracted previous criticism of District Judge Brent Adams of Reno, who was accused of failing to twice follow court directives.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Tinley takes the wheel at America Presents: Dean Juipe; Mat Tinley is a rich man, so picture him for analogy's sake riding in the back seat of a limousine and being chauffeured by Dan Goossen.

Vargas vows to regain title: Dean Juipe; Once the International Boxing Federation world champion at 154 pounds, Fernando Vargas goes after the World Boxing Association version of the junior middleweight championship when he faces Shibata Flores Sept. 22 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

Community briefs for August 30, 2001: Not all programs at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area are hikes. In a series of Sunday educational programs Ranger Brian will present a 30 minute close-up view of the natural or cultural history of Red Rock Canyon Sept. 9, 23 and 30 at the Visitor Center. No sign-up is required.

Dummkopfs leader Firth dies: Susan C. "Suzy" Firth, the female lead of the Dummkopfs comedy band that has entertained thousands for more than three decades in Southern Nevada, has died. She was 50.

Letter: U.S. abdicates role in Mideast: Of course, that is probably OK with President Bush, since he looked in Putin's eyes and saw the soul of a good man.